I don't own NCIS
Tim stared at the food in front of him. He waited, waited for his father to make the first move, say the first word. Gibbs. Well Gibbs was just waiting to see which way the wind was going to blow. What type of mood he'd find his son in. as he dug into his food.
"Timothy I…" Gibbs trailed off looking down at his plate. "I don't know how to talk to you and for that I'm sorry."
"And." Tim scoffed. "Tell me something I don't know."
"Tim" He sighed. "I'm trying here please just hear me out."
Tim crossed his arms and looked at his father. "Okay I'm waiting."
"After your mother and sister died and I woke up from my coma I didn't know which way was up and which way was down. I didn't know how to be a father to you but not Kelly. I didn't know how to live in this house with the memories swirling around me and I wanted vengeance I wanted to get the person who had killed them.
"So you left me with Grandma and ran off. Because getting Vengeance for them was more important than providing a safe and stable home for me?" Tim snapped. Feeling fourteen again. "You weren't the only one who lost them and since I was actually there when it happened and then had to turn around and sit by your bedside well You would think you'd care about how that impacted me but I guess not."
"Tim you were important, are important but taking care of you couldn't happen well I had the burden of worrying that monster was still out there I'd be worrying about him coming back to finish you off next."
"I guess… I can understand that. But it doesn't explain your total lack of communication with me. You came home and you shut me out. You don't talk to grandpa. For the longest time I wasn't even allowed to mention mom or Kelly without you shutting yourself in a dark room or yelling at me. Then the women oh dear lord all the women. Diane I loved Diane and Diane loved us but you pushed her away. If you weren't ready to open your heart to someone you never should have gotten married again. it was bad enough that I'd lost mom and Kelly and you were just a ghost of your former self but then I lost Diane too because you couldn't love her the way she deserved."
"Hey wait now I know for a fact you still talk to Diane."
"Sure I still talk to her but that's not the point how do you think it felt for me as a teen losing everything I had and then watching the one person who seemed to give a damn walk away because you couldn't get your shit together." Tim snapped. "If that wasn't bad enough you ran head first into wife number two the drunk and number three the crazy. It was about you it's always been about you."
"So you wanted me to be lonely?"
"Yeah dad that's exactly what I said I want you to be lonely. No damn it I wanted you to think of me. Consider me. Marry only because you loved someone not because you wanted to fill some unfillable hole in your heart. I'm surprised you're not on ex-wife number four by now. "
"Figured I'd give my bank account a rest for a while." He tried to joke. "Okay fine Tim I messed up I know I messed up after I got home from Mexico I couldn't look at you because I felt like I'd failed you and I hate to think how I would have acted if I'd known everything you'd been through." Gibbs shuddered at the very thought. " I wish I could say I would have opened up for you that I would have pulled us closer but I fear it just would have pulled us apart even farther. As for Diane I'm sorry I hurt her and by extension you and I'm sorry I hurt Rebecca and Stephanie too. You're right it wasn't fair to them."
"Don't think that's actually possible. For us to be even farther apart. " Tim pushed his now cold food around his plate.
"I don't know at least we still talk unlike me and my dad. That had to do with my own mothers death, me not liking how he handled it and me resenting him. And yes I see the irony in that but it is what it is but mainly I needed someone to be mad at. To blame and he was there. All I can say is at least you didn't turn that way on me."
"Do you wish you could go back and fix it with him?"
"I could he is only a phone call away after all but I don't think that time is now. No now I need to fix us. Be the father I wasn't for all those years. And Tim I have to say your help on the sub case it was invaluable. We couldn't have caught him without you. You'll make a good field agent one day as long as you can get your stomach under control."
Tim cracked a smile and stood up to throw his plate away. There was still so much to say. They had only scratched the surface but the healing had begun and for that Jethro was thankful. Slowly but surely he was determined to win his son back.
Tim left the apartment and decided waking up early would be worth it as he made his way to Tony's apartment. "Tim" Tony said opening the door. "You do have a key you know."
"Yeah but.." He sighed so tired.
"Hey come here." Tony pulled him into the door shutting it behind them. "You okay how did your talk with your dad go?"
"Okay I guess. We said somethings. He apologized for some things. It's a start I guess I'm just so tired can we just go to sleep."
'Of course." Tony kissed his forehead and shut the TV off pulling Tim towards the bedroom shutting the lights off and pulling him into the bed."
The next morning before the sun was even up in the sky Tim found himself kissing Tony on the cheek trying not to wake the other man as he grabbed his things and snuck out of the apartment to make the drive back to Norfolk.
Tony woke up to an empty bed. Frowning he looked around. Then looked at his phone no messages from Tim he hoped that he was okay. He hurriedly got ready for work and headed in.
"Tony you're late grab your gear we're going to Cuba."
"Cuba?" Tony looked over at Kate.
"Gitmo translator dead, Emeralds in his intestines."
"Well that's hinky."
"Yes and you've been spending too much time with Abby."
"If you too are done we have a plane to catch."
"Ugg I hope it's not Priority rides I hate those canvas seats." Tony pulled out his cell phone to shoot a text to Tim figuring he wouldn't be back in the states for a while.
Tony: Hey we have a case that is taking us to Cuba I'll text you when I can.
Tim: Cuba?"
Tony: I'll explain more later promise.
Tim looked down at his phone Cuba really he shook his head and looked round at his own boring surroundings. He wondered what he would take being in Cuba with his father or here being bored out of his mind.
"Now this I could get used to." Tony smirked. Leaning back against the seats.
"You know what I could get used to you actually doing some work." Gibbs glared.
"But Boss it's a gulf stream. A gulf stream."
"I know I miss canvas seating." Gibbs grumbled.
"Getting back to work." Tony put his head down.
"Great this is Paula Cassidy she's NCIS at Gitmo she isn't to know why we're there."
"We're not working with her?" Kate asked.
"No Syid had five unmailed letters of her's on his person. Until I say otherwise she's a suspect."
"Got it boss." Tony picked up the file skimming through it.
Landing in Gitmo they were met by Agent Cassidy Tony had to smirk at the way Gibbbs handled the woman as they got into their car and headed towards their housing.
"We're going to set up here." Gibbs said setting their things down on the counter. "Where the hell are you two going?" he followed them back to the back of the house and heard them fighting.
"It's the only room with a bath." Kate whined.
"I know and I got here first."
"I'm a girl, girls take bath's Tony."
"Why is it whenever something comes up like getting the only bath the girl thing comes up?" Tony scoffed.
"Here I'll help you both." Gibbs stepped in I'll be taking this bedroom and you two can fight over the other bedrooms." He picked up their things and put them out in the hall.
"Good going Tony." Kate snipped going into one of the other bedrooms well Tony just rolled his eyes at her.
Stripping himself Tony climbed into bed and grabbed his phone he wanted to call Tim to hear his voice but he didn't dare so instead he texted him.
Tony: In Cuba getting ready for bed love you.
Tim: Love you too.
Tim looked down at his phone sighing and put it on his night stand. Texting only with Tony for the next few days was going to get old fast.
The next morning Tony woke up to a giant Iguana on his pillow startled he jumped up causing Kate and Gibbs to rush in the room. Kate snorted and almost doubled over laughing. "you sleep in the nude?"
"Yeah so what?" Tony grabbed a chair trying to cover himself.
"Get dressed DiNozzo."
"On it boss."
"Out," he pointed towards the door where Kate still stood laughing.
"Yeah okay." She snorted leaving the room.
"Now you we have an issue." Tony gingerly picked it up and opened the window placing it outside.
"You deal with your reptile problem?" Kate smirked when Tony came out ready to go."
"Yes," He scoffed grabbing his things.
"Scared of a little Iguana priceless." Tony just scowled.
Later that night Tony found himself in a bar sipping rootbeer and watching Agent Cassidy dance with a number of men. He knew he couldn't go back to Gibbs with nothing so it was time to bring the DiNozzo charm out. Good thing Tim wasn't here to witness this.
"Never broken a rule." Cassidy asked later that night arching her eyebrow.
"if the risk is worth it," He took a drink. It wasn't an actual rule but if Gibbs knew he wasn't almost sure he would make a rule no dating my son. So he figured he was breaking an unwritten rule. "Dance with me."
She pursed her lips. "Okay one song." He took her hand and led her onto the dance floor. Getting into the character he was playing. The bachelor playboy. He twirled her around just as his phone rang.
"Hello Agent DiNozzo. On it." He closed it. "Back on duty."
"Too bad."
"You are too." He grabbed her and brought her back to the house.
"What is going on."
"Sorry babe can't tell you that."
"So you just kidnapped me."
"Sure I guess if you want to see it that way."
They pulled up to the house and Tony left Gibbs with Cassidy.
"So you get any." Kate asked as they were searching the two apartments.
"How vulgar of you Kate."
"This coming from you oh give it a break Tony."
Tony just shook his head. He had to keep the playboy rap up it was a good cover but sometimes it made him feel bad even though he himself knew he was in a long term committed relationship.
"So did you two find anything?" Gibbs asked as his two agents returned. "Nothing much but… Agent Cassidy did have a bottle of Escada on her dresser and Si'yd did have a copy of her room key. But she didn't have a copy of his."
"Women like to sleep in their own beds." Gibbs shrugged.
"Boss I honestly don't think she did it."
"Yeah and what brain are you thinking that with DiNozzo."
Tony clenched his teeth. "I'm going to bed."
"I agree with him Gibbs I don't think she did it."
"Oh me either."
"Then why? " she nodded towards where Tony had disappeared.
"Dating between agents never turns out well."
"And you know this from experience?"
He didn't answer just thought about Paris and Jen.
Tony grabbed his phone he desperately wanted to contact Tim but he couldn't not over Text. Taking a deep breath he put the phone down and tried to get some sleep.
The next day was hectic. They'd figured out the plan and why it had all went down but now they had to figure out a way to get to their objective without tipping their hand. "Let me go in he trusts me." Paula Cassidy pointed out.
"And how good of an actress are you?" Gibbs asked.
"I played Tony didn't I letting him think I was thawing."
Tony just smirked he wasn't played at all but he'd let her continue to think that.
"She would have said anything to get in that room." Kate tried to sooth.
"Kate it was fine we were both playing a game." Tony pointed out.
"Yeah and who won?" Gibbs asked.
"Me." Tony smirked.
The next day the threat taken care of they headed back to the states. "You know she looks awfully lonely back there." Kate looked behind her.
"Yeah why don't you go keep her company?" Tony pointed out.
"Maybe I will." Kate got up and was surprised when Tony didn't get up she shook her head and went to the back to talk to Paula.
Once they landed Tony collected his things and was out the door before Gibbs could say anything. Jethro just shook his head. Tony was odd sometimes. He had been sure he would try and hook up with Agent Cassidy once they were on American soil again. instead he'd booked it out of the place not a word to the other agent.
Tony made his way to Norfolk. He let himself into Tim's apartment crawling into Tim's bed he waited for the other man.
Tim was slightly surprised when he saw Tim in his bed. "Hey." He crawled over him. "I wasn't expecting you?"
"Got back from Cuba."
"You okay." Tim turned Tony's face too look at him.
"Yeah I just hate the acting some times."
"What do you mean?"
"I had to flirt with Agent Cassidy and everyone thought I was actually trying to get into her pants that I was really that person and I hate." He sighed shaking his head. I'm sorry it just I Hate how low Gibbs and Kate can think of me sometimes."
"It's fine." Tim kissed him. "I know the true you and that's all that matters right?"
"Right." Tony feel into the kiss. Into Tim's arms into the place he felt safe, whole known.
A/N thanks to everyone who reviewed. Keep them coming.